Warm Heart/Beating Heart Bypass Surgery

Beating heart surgery (also called warm heart surgery) allows the heart to continue beating while the surgery is performed. This procedure/surgery incorporates state-of-the-art technology of a heart-stabilizing device.

The stabilizing device immobilizes a small section of the heart that needs the bypass graft while the rest of the heart muscle continues to beat and pump blood to the body.

Potential Advantages

The heart surgeons at Owensboro Health are strong advocates of warm-heart surgery and use the technique in most open-heart surgeries (unless there is a valve involved) because of the potential benefits to patients, including:

Shorter length of stay
Some patients are discharged from the hospital in 3-5 days versus the typical 7 to 10 days for conventional CABG surgery.

Faster recovery
Patients are returning to their normal activities in 4 weeks rather than the typical 6 to 8 weeks with conventional surgery.

Less damage to blood cells
The use of the heart-lung machine damages blood cells, which may affect the blood's ability to clot after surgery. Without the use of the heart-lung machine, the blood clot is not exposed to this potential damage.

Shorter surgery time
The patient may spend about one hour less in the operating room; and may be removed from the breathing machine sooner.

Better outcomes
Patients may have less risk of complications after surgery, such as stroke, pneumonia or kidney problems.